The Aberdeen Budget

I applaud the Aberdeen Board of Aldermen and city comptroller Karen Crump for trimming the city’s budget by almost four percent. The board had to make some tough decisions when regarding where to make the cuts.

But here’s what doesn’t make sense to me: how could the budget, which Mayor Jim Ballard said is a “balanced budget,” be an actual balanced budget when the city was over budget more than $200,000 and had already borrowed $450,000 from the water department? Where did these monies go? How can the budget be balanced when the previous year’s budget was in the red? It doesn’t make sense to me.

Who let the (pit bull) dogs out?

A group of concerned Aberdeen citizens has approached the Aberdeen Board of Aldermen numerous times regarding pit bulls in the Meadowlane neighborhood. Although all of the aldermen have acknowledged that the dogs are a potential hazard, nothing has been done about the dogs so far. The concerned citizens want the dogs completely banned from Aberdeen. This is something that is taking place across the country — there has been a call for a ban on pit bulls in the Washington D.C. area. I suggest that the current ordinance regarding pit bulls within the city limits of Aberdeen be enforced while the board decides what to do next. It doesn’t make any sense to vote on and pass ordinances if they are not going to be enforced.

Blue(s) and White

The Bukka White Blues Festival will be held next weekend in Aberdeen. I encourage everyone to make the trip out to Blue Bluff and participate in this event. Matthias Fischer and Marsha Ballard and Em Walters and their committee have been working really hard to make this year’s festival the biggest and best blues festival in North Mississippi.

Although Bukka White may not be a household name like Muddy Waters or B.B. King, his influence on the blues and modern music is very important. The Bukka White Blues Marker that will soon be displayed in downtown Aberdeen will be very important for its tourism industry.